Eight weeks to go. The training is progressing though sometimes it feels like really hard work. I've been going through these gates a lot recently. But are they the gates of heaven or hell? Going one way leads through into the deer park. Past the church and the obelisk. It can lead to a wonderful world of antlered deer stags, ice houses, world heritage, buzzards, the foothills of the dales, and a cafe with scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Heaven on earth. But it also leads to a very long mile uphill - the 'Studley Mile', up to it's very own Barkley gate at the top which I have to touch to complete a strength sapping speed interval. Eight minutes of hell doing each hill effort. Only to have to turn around and repeat, again and again. Or onwards through those gates at the top to do another 23 miles to complete a back-to-back-marathon-long-slow-trails-weekend. The thought of doing it is daunting. Going the other way through the gate is usually good. It'...
I work as a GP and in public health. I try and improve people's health, including my own.
I started running in 2017 and have surprised myself how, little by little, I have exceeded my running goals. This is despite half a lifetime of avoiding stuff due to my perceived limitations because I have no colon. I have had an ileoanal pouch since a colectomy for ulcerative colitis in 1996.
It's not something I talk about normally.
I'm not sure how I'll cope with this challenge, as apart from running the miles, finding the right foods, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and bowel frequency are some of the problems I have. Not good for running an ultra.
I hope to inspire others to overcome their fears and perceived barriers to achieve their impossible, no matter how big or small.
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